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Star Courier: the new boys in town

Andrew Saturn on June 5, 2012

WIP News Service

WIP:It’s very exciting for Olympia to finally have a bicycle courier service. How did Star Courier come into existence?

Star Courier: We all agree that having bicycle delivery services in Olympia is exciting. It’s also a logical fit for a community that supports sustainability and a local economy. The idea has been percolating in [each of] our minds for years. The thing that has made it a reality is having the right team of professional riders to make it happen.

WIP:Why a courier service? It’s hard, sometimes dangerous work. You have to put up with traffic (and drivers), and the weather. According to your facebook page, hail hurts.

Star Courier: All of us are year-round bike commuters, the challenges of riding bikes in traffic and all kinds of weather is something we’re up to. Starting a business of riding bikes has been the real challenge.

WIP:Who makes up Star Courier?

Star Courier: The Star Courier team consists of three experienced and passionate bikers. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Jon Kempe, a bike tour enthusiast, has lived in Olympia since 2002. He has worked in bike shops since 2006 and has been secretly plotting a courier business in Olympia for several years.

German Diaz has seven years of bicycle delivery experience in Chicago, with four of those years including food delivery. He also has the experience of running a small business for five years.

Mark Davis is Star’s youngest and fastest courier, who brings loads of enthusiasm, bike handling, and wrenching experience to the table.

Star Courier: We believe bicycles are an appropriate technology for efficiently providing people with transportation needs. We feel a demand, not just from markets, to reduce our local economy’s dependency on oil. Star Courier is seeking to do this in the best way possible by forming a democratic worker co-op.

WIP:So, in the future, you would consider including electric cars or other forms alternative technology?

Star Courier: No. We like bikes.

WIP:If an avid bicyclist wanted to join your “democratic worker co-op” what would she need to do?

Star Courier: Be patient, Star Courier is a work in progress and isn’t considering growth at this time. It is something we expect to do down the road, we’re just not there yet. Give us a call, like us on Facebook, or shoot us an email and we’ll make sure they know when the time comes.

WIP:What niche does Star Courier fill in our community and what kind of people/ groups/businesses need /use your services?

Star Courier: Breaking ground as a courier company in a small city like Olympia is very different than operating in a major city. Our company offers a wide range of services from distributing the WIP and putting up flyers to delivering Community Supported Agriculture shares and wholesale baked goods, Star Courier does it all. Our business is expanding rapidly and as we grow, so do the services we offer. Soon Star will be a 7 day a week operation offering lunchtime deli deliveries and same day on call deliveries for whatever our clients (you) dream up.

WIP:How soon?

Star Courier: Lunches will begin for Kitzel’s Krazy Delicious Delicatessen by the time this goes to print. Broader same day deliveries don’t have definite start date as of yet.

WIP:Are your courier services very expensive?

Star Courier: Our services range in prices based on distance, scheduling, and size/weight. Compared to other cities our prices are actually quite low and we work with our clients to find solutions that work with their budgets.